Gold Star families have spoken out against Vice President Kamala Harris' intervention in the controversy over former President Donald Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery to memorialize 13 soldiers killed in the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Harris on Saturday tweeted that she slammed Trump for recording a video eulogy for fallen soldiers, adding that unlike her former president, she will “always honor the service and sacrifice of America's fallen heroes.” Eight families of Gold Star recipients denounced Harris' comments on Twitter, explaining that while they had invited Trump to the cemetery for the ceremony, they had never heard from the vice president in the three years since losing their children in the August 2021 terrorist attack in Kabul. (RELATED: Exclusive: Gold Star Families Struggled to Get Trump to Arlington Until House Speaker Intervened)
“I'm Mark Schmitz, father of Marine Corporal Jared Schmitz. On a beautiful holiday weekend, I must stop spending time with my family to address the heinous, vile and disgusting post put out by Kamala Harris which seeks to incite those who do not abide by the fact that President Trump was in Arlington for a political performance. It shows how much you know about the 13 families. We invited him there,” Schmitz said in a video posted to Twitter in response to President Trump's tweet.
“Congressman Issa's office did the homework to make sure we followed procedures. Why did we have Trump there? It wasn't to support his political campaign. We wanted leaders. That's why you and Joe didn't get a call. Imagine that for a second, your child was murdered. America has a president who will protect you and listen to you. That's what we found with President Trump, you never have and you never have with Joe Biden,” Schmitz continues in the roughly three-minute video.
Mark Schmitz, father of Corporal Jared M. Schmitz… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/pRLF9tS7Jn
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
“There are 13 families who have been waiting over three years just to get a phone call, to hear their children's names yelled out, to see Congress, to see the State of the Union, to see anything at all. The sarcasm behind your post that you don't care at all about our troops, our veterans, Jared's comrades, the other 12, their comrades, is a complete lie. We are living proof of that. You are despicable. You are unfit to run this country. And I pray to God, the American people, wake up and get out of your job. You finally spit in our faces,” he concluded.
Steve Nikoy, father of Corporal Kareem M. Nikoy… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/e7uRJo8ViA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
President Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery drew criticism following the NPR report. Reported There was reportedly an altercation between campaign officials and Arlington National Cemetery officials over restrictions on photography in Section 60, the resting place of soldiers killed in recent American wars. The Trump campaign denied the story, and a source familiar with the conversations at the event told The Daily Caller that Gold Star families had no problem with campaign photographers taking pictures of the ceremony.
Ahead of the ceremony, Gold Star families told the Caller that Arlington National Cemetery was trying to put restrictions in place to prevent President Trump from visiting, despite the families' requests. The situation escalated until House Speaker Mike Johnson stepped in to allow President Trump to attend the ceremony, Gold Star families told the Caller.
Neither Biden nor Harris took part in a public memorial for the 13 soldiers killed during the administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan, instead making statements during Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery on the morning of Memorial Day.
“This is not a place for politics, but as reported this week, Donald Trump's team chose to do a video shoot there, which led to an altercation with cemetery officials. Let me be clear: a former President disrespected this sacred site for political stunts. This is not new for Donald Trump – he is a man who has called fallen service members 'idiots' and 'losers' and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients,” Harris tweeted about the NPR report on Saturday. (Related article: President Trump denies reports that he called fallen US soldiers “losers,” calls story a “fraud.”)
As Vice President, I had the opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a solemn place, a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
It is not the place for politics.
and…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 31, 2024
Darin Huber, father of the late Staff Sergeant Taylor Huber, Coral Doolittle, mother of the late Corporal Humberto A. Sanchez, Jacqueline Schmitz, mother of the late Corporal Jared Schmitz, Steve Nikoi, father of the late Corporal Kareem M. Nikoi, Jim McCollum, father of the late Corporal Riley McCollum, Herman Lopez, father of the late Corporal Hunter Lopez, and Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of the late Sergeant Nicole Gee and Sergeant Schmitz, filmed videos in response to Harris, which President Trump posted on Twitter.
“Vice President Harris, my name is Christy Shamblin. My daughter-in-law, Sergeant Nicole Lien Gee, was killed on August 26, 2021, at the Afghanistan exit at Abbey Gate. This year, on the third anniversary of her murder, we welcomed President Donald J. Trump to Arlington to join her family in laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visiting her cold grave. President Trump and his team were gracious, listened to us, and said very little. We welcomed them that day, and they were a comfort to our family,” Shamblin said in the first of a series of videos posted to Twitter.
“Vice President Harris, I ask you: Why don't you return the call and explain why you call my daughter-in-law's death a success? Vice President Harris, why don't you offer your own condolences? Why have we never heard from you? And finally, why do you use the day we celebrate the death of a loved one to disparage not only our loved one, but us? President Trump called. President Trump showed up. President Trump is taking time to listen to our loved ones. Why won't you do the same, Vice President?” she concluded.
Sergeant Nicole Gee's mother-in-law, Christy Shamblin… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/aAtRHE454N
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
The Biden administration subsequently reconsidered the Afghanistan withdrawal in April 2023. The internal report noted that while President Trump had previously negotiated with the Taliban and agreed on a withdrawal date, he was to blame for the failed withdrawal by not leaving the Biden administration with a comprehensive plan for how the operation should be conducted.
Harris previously said She was the last one The White House met with Biden “in the room” when he decided to withdraw troops and Americans from the country, and amid the backlash, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: said In April 2023, the president said he was “proud” of the operation.
Jim McCallum, father of Corporal Riley McCallum… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/BQWZIcZjka
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
“Vice President Harris, my name is Jim McCollum. I am the father of U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Riley McCollum, a Medal of Honor recipient who was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021. Your recent statements regarding President Trump's visit to Arlington are full of lies and deception. How can I sleep at night knowing that you, this administration, you and Biden, and you, the last person left in the room, are responsible for the deaths of 13 children? For three years and eight months, you have not acknowledged my children, you have not acknowledged me. You don't know me. You have never spoken to me. You have never contacted me,” McCollum said in the video.
“You have neglected your duties as Vice President. You have shown nothing but disrespect to me and the 13 families of the victims. You claim to always be respectful and honor the victims, yet for three years and eight months you have been absent. You have proven you are not even capable of the job you have, let alone the job you want,” he continued.
